4.

What are the risk factors associated with Alzheimers Disease

Risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be divided into two parts: risk that
you can change and risk that you can’t change or avoided.

Risk factors you can change

Depression
Many researchers believe that depression is a risk factor for dementia, whereas others
believe it may be an early symptom of the disease, or both.
Diabetes
On average, people with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to develop dementia
compared to those without diabetes.
Head injuries
Experiencing severe or repeated head injuries increases a person’s risk of developing
dementia/AD
Hearing loss
It’s still unclear how exactly hearing loss increases the risk of dementia, but it can also
lead to social isolation, loss of independence and problems with everyday activities.
High alcohol consumption
People who drink excessively have the highest risk of dementia compared to people who
drink moderately or not at all.
High blood pressure
People who have high blood pressure or hypertension in mid-life are on average more
likely to develop dementia compared to those with normal blood pressure.
High cholesterol
People with high cholesterol levels in mid-life are more likely to develop dementia
compared to those with normal cholesterol.
Living near busy roads
The impact on the brain from vehicle pollution is still being studied by researchers, but
it’s estimated that people who live within 50 metres of a busy road are more likely to
develop dementia.
Low levels of formal education
People who actively use their brains throughout their life may be building a ‘cognitive
reserve’ that can provide more protection against brain cell damage caused by dementia.
Obesity and lack of physical activity
In addition to dementia, obesity and lack of physical activity increase the risk of
developing diabetes and high blood pressure. Obesity in mid-life is also a risk factor for
dementia.
Poor diet
An unhealthy diet, high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, can increase the risk of
developing many illnesses including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and
dementia.
Smoking
Smokers are 45% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to non-smokers
or ex-smokers.
Social isolation
Besides dementia, social isolation can also increase the risk of hypertension, coronary
heart disease and depression.

Risk factors you cannot change

Age
Dementia is not a normal part of aging. However, age is the strongest known risk
factor for Alzheimers. The older you become, the higher the risk.

One in 20 Canadians over age 65 has Alzheimer’s disease. After 65, the risk of
developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles approximately every five years, with one in four
Canadians over 85 having Alzheimer’s disease.

Gender
Women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than men. While the
reasons for this are still unclear, some of the potential contributors include women living
longer on average than men and changes in estrogen levels over a woman’s lifetime.

Genetics
We don’t yet fully understand the role of genes in the development of dementia. We do
know that most cases of Alzheimer’s disease are sporadic—they do not run in
families. Only rare instances of Alzheimer’s disease are inherited or familial, accounting
for 2-5% of all cases.

Scientists have found over 20 genes that may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
disease. Three of these genes directly cause Alzheimer’s disease: PS1, PS2, and APP.

If a person has an alteration in any of these genes they will almost certainly develop
familial Alzheimer’s disease, often well before the age of 65. If a parent has any of these
faulty genes, their children have a 50% chance of inheriting the disease.

Risk Factors of Alzheimers Disease, Alzheimers society Canada, 1/21/20,

https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home/About-dementia/Alzheimer-s-disease/Risk-
factors#WhatAreRiskFactors